Regal Suburbs

3-1
I a I I
I 2 a a
C i I
s I
In "the king's
Monterrey, looking w a i t . The Palm
lObispadoii i
mountain,"
the action takes place at the edge of tow
Calonia Obis pod o wraps around i n base
TRADITIONALLY, citiea ol Spanish origin were
themselves on an orderly grid. Monterrey
ened to fine those who did not reside in
characterized by strong urban centers.
was founded 2 > years later as a metro-
the urban zone; the ordinance was
Office buildings sat side by side with
politan city — that is, a seat of regional
invoked on various occasions.
residential buildings, which were often
government and religious administration
several stories high. That model is still
— bin lor ncarlj 200 years, despite the
Monterrey's economic base changed, that
visible in many Latin American cities
plans, the city refused to develop a prop-
the city assumed an urban form. In 178.!,
(including Mexico City, Bogota,
<. aracas, Buenos Aires, and lima), bur it
er urban core. The area's economy was
when the Diocese of Monterrey was
based on tanning and ranching (at least
established, the city became a religious
Ir wasn't until the ! " t h century, when
has been losing strength. Latin \merican
2 s agricultural haciendas, or ranches,
center. Ami in I 848, when an inter-
cities are growing through their residen-
existed in the current metropolitan /one),
national border was established with the
tial suburbs — which means that they
and farming does not encourage urban-
United States, Monterrey became the
look like Monterrey.
ism. Other cities coalesced around their
commercial and military center of north-
major industries. Mining drew workers to
eastern Mexico.
Visitors to Monterrey scarecely recognize the city's Hispanic heritage, h
looks like a North American city: Wide
streets bearing high-speed traffic connect
downtown to residential suburbs. But in
fact, Monterrey's suburbs have existed
longer than most North American cities.
CENTRALITY AND SUBURBS
In 157?, King i elipe II of Spain ordered
that all the cities in his dominion plan
Guanajuato and Zacatecas. Commercial,
religious, and regional military economies
If at any time Monterrey grew in the
manner of Spanish urban centers, it was
concentrated people in I'uebla, Morelia,
between 1790 and L890, when a well-
and Guadalajara. But in Monterrey, to
aligned grid system with a series of cen-
(he consternation of the city's authorities,
tral pla/as was designed. In 1865, when
the great majority of the population pre-
Monterrey had 15,000 inhabitants, a
ferred CO live on haciendas on the periph-
plan for grid based growth encompassed
erj nl town. Authorities repeatedly
approximately 700 hectares (1,680 acres),
directed property owners to build houses
housing a population ot I SO,000 or
in the city, and in 1660 they even threat-
more. But three revolutionary innovations
C i
BY
JUAN
IGNACIO
BARRAGAN
f i l l
I e
35
VILLARREAL
nw
i W
Foi left: The Coionio Bella Villa, Monlerjty i l l n l
tubiiiban residential tolonia, housed the brewery's
managerial and teshniiol staff.
Seiond from left: Colonio El Mirador pioneered iKe
mr ?i"«
use of ;> ni-iH.
Third otid fourth from left: From 1935 to 1965,
Monterrey'i social elite built grond houses in I k *
Colonio Obiipodo.
doomed that plan: railroads, large indus-
colonia to house its technical and man-
tries, t n d residential suburbs.
agerial staff. The Colonia Bella Vista, just
speaking, a suburb, even though it pos
in 1K.59, and was finally sold to private
north of the brewery, was developed by .1
sessed many suburban characteristics,
citizens around I 922. In 1925, when the
cross the city with no respect lor its street
U.S. entrepreneur. Colonel Joseph Robin-
such as relatively large house sites,
hill's lower reaches were developed as the
grid, and establishments began to locate
son, but its success was hampered hv the
wooded areas, and concrete streets
Colonia Ohispado, it became Monterrey's
themselves in relation to rail lines — and
economic crisis the country suffered
intended for intensive automobile use.
first true suburb. The buyers were the
outside the limits of the lSf>5 grid. The
The predominant architectural styles were
city's most prominent business leaders,
breakdown accelerated in the 1890s
between 1910 and L920, the decade of
the Mexican Revolution. Nevertheless,
Aiid.ilusi.ni ,ind l alifornian, though
along with the managers of foreign firms;
when large factor) precincts appeared
some F.nglish-stylc chalets |the Mexican
other styles were also built. Today a
they built elegant I uropean-style resi-
outside the historic grid. I he (. erveceria
term for free-standing single-family
movement exists to defend the historic
dences whose terraces commanded views
Cuauhtemoc, Monterrey's hrst brewery,
houses with their own gardens) were con-
heritage of HI Mirador, which is seriously
of Monterrey from on high. To one side
was built CO the north of the historic core
structed in Bella Vista and still survive.
affected by conversion of houses to
of the hill were Monterrey's first golf
offices and businesses.
club, the Monterrey Country Club, and a
In I SKI, railroad tracks began CO
in 1890; then the American Smelting
With the return ol political stability
( oiiipany, also to the north in I S 1 ' I , then
and economic growth came Colonia HI
Foundry Number 2 to the east ,11 Petioles
Colonia Id Mirador wasn't, strictly
expropriated by the federal government
After HI Mirador, other residential
sports club, Kl Club Deport ivo Obispado,
Mirador, Monterrey's first successful sub-
colonias, such as the Colonia Maria I uisa
which contained tennis courts, swimming
in 1892; then, also to the east, the
urban subdivision, and the first modern
and the Colonia Ohispado, developed west
pools, and polo grounds.
Monterrey Iron and Steel Foundry of
subdivision in Mexico, Curiously, this
of the city. The installation and expansion
I V()[; and finally the Vidriera Monterrey,
neighborhood was located inside the area
ol M.niti rrey's potable water nilrasmu
Obispado was the headquarters of
the glassworks, to the north tn 1909,
ol the IS(>i grid, in a tract west •.t the
ture, begun around 1909, freed developers
Monterrey's social elite. It was filled with
Each ot these industries built large,
central core.
from having to situate new neighborhoods
large gardens and grand houses contain-
near traditional sources of water.
ing more than 1,000 square meters
From l9.V5ro 1965, the Colonia
walled enclaves that blocked the street
The 1865 plan had not included the
grid ot ISfi.V The enclaves forced new
tract because it contained HI Mirador, a
avenues to branch nil the grid, generating
grand country house constructed by Gen-
oped at the end ot the 1920s near the
new axes ot urban growth,
eral Mariano Arista and later enlarged by
Cerro del Ohispado (Ohispado H i l l | , at
I'uropean styles, but residents soon began
an important businessman, Gregorio
what seemed to be tlu western I11111I ol
to adopt more modern forms, mostly
THE FIRST RESIDENTIAL COLONIAS
Zambrano, In 1920, Zambrano's grand-
Monterrey's urban expansion. At the fool
inspired by conservative models from the
Several factories began to develop housing
son, Lorenzo Zambrano Gutierrez, built
ol tin' hill, the traditional right-angled
11nited States.
tin theii workers eithei nc i r o i within
the C'emento Monterrey factory, now part
block and street grid could not be
their installations — and therefore outside
ol today's Crupo (. 1 M I X . Around 1925,
applied, so the next subdivision, the
began to decline after the private clubs
the grid. The American Smelting Company
when Zambrano developed his family's
Colonia Obispado, broke drastically with
moved away. The Monterrey Country
and Monterrey foundry built inside their
Muadol propel is. he 11.11u1.1llv used Ins
the scheme and was laid out around the
Club left in 1936; Club Hipico in 1940;
industrial enclaves, ,u\d other enterprises
company's products. Colonia HI Mirador
base of the hill, with streets aligned along
ami t l u b Deportivo Obispado in I960.
promoted residential subdivisions (cofo-
is noteworthy for its concrete streets and
the contour lines.
iihis) beside their plants. Monterrey's sub
sidewalks. Cemcnto Monterrey made sure
urban dispersion hail begun.
that the innovation caught on. Its maga-
Since I"90 it had been occupied by the
zine, Cetttcnto, used images ol I I Mira-
Bishop's Summer l'alace Inovv the Museo
dor to promote concrete.
Regional I I Ohispado]. The property was
In 1901 the C erveceria Cuauhtemoc
established the first suburban residential
I'he Colonia Maria I ansa was devel-
The lull had an aristocratic character.
Hi.Dim SL|ii.ne feet — <>l living space. I he
earliest architecture was based on historic
Unfortunately, the Colonia Obispado
Ih<- slubs' land was redeveloped, but
upscale residents followed the clubs to
new neighborhoods.
The colonia also came to be sur
rounded by middle-income developments,
l o l l
36
f I I
I 1 0 0
1
1
three viewi of San Pedro
Corio Gortio: Cone mlh the
Mnrf-ilyle home in Colonia del
Voile; Coliodo del Voile; and
an KEB store.
d
B
}
such as the Colonias Vista Hermosa,
municipal utility district, the tirst ot its
well as an efficient tax collection system.
Mitras, and Lonuu de Chepe Vera, which
kind in Mexico. The new administrative
It has the highest number ot police per
inside the city limits. No physical barriers
generated traffic. The Hual blow to the
structure led to a high level of citizen par-
thousand inhabitants in Mexico, and one
separate them from the rest of the city
from the center of Monterrey, both are
neighborhood came as its original inhabi-
ticipation in a country whose political
ot the lowest urban-zone crime rales in
and the rapid urbanization anil growth it
tants aged and began to move to smaller
institutions were typically characterized
the Americas. As il that were not enough,
experienced in the second half ol the
houses. Young families could not afford
by paternalism.
more than 70 percent ot the high-quality
twentieth century. And inside Monterrey,
educational institutions in the metropoli-
rhey lack the political clout exerted by
heavily populated working-class neigh-
to buy the large residences, which were
In terms of urban design, the
slowly transformed into schools, offices,
Colonia del Valle introduced a modem,
tan area of Monterrey are located on lis
and commercial buildings. Today the
designed landscape marked by two beau-
territory. Its autonomy is such that,
borhoods and the historic center.
Colonia Ohispado has lost much of its
tiful avenues 70 meters wide and divided
according to the city's transportation
Cumbres and Conrry never had sufficient
beauty, and its former prestige has com-
by landscaped medians M) meters wide.
agency, more than .50 percent of San
weight to transform Monterrey,
pletely disappeared. Its torch has been
Del Valle also took advantage of exist-
I'edro Garza Garcia's residents go ro
passed to a suburb outside Monterrey's
ing, tree-lined irrigation ditches so that
Monterrey only when they cross it en
THE NEW SUBURBS OF MONTERREY
city limits.
from the start the neighborhood was
route to the airport. San I'edro has not
New developments in metropolitan
endowed with large trees. To stimulate
escaped problems common to all urban
Monterrey emulate Colonia del Valle.
THE COLONIA DEL VALLE
the market, the developers built a num-
areas. It suffers from traffic, noise, con-
These suburban zones on the metropoli-
In I 946, Alberto, Manuel and Ignacio
ber of luxurious residences that they
frontations between environmentalists
tan perimeter offer an ordered develop-
Santos established the Colonia del Valle
sold at low prices. And in a country
and developers, and the destruction of
ment scheme with a mixture of land uses
some five kilometers south of Monter-
where mortgage loans were still new,
historically significant buildings, lint the
and an integrated master plan. To the
rey's city limits. The valley lay near the
they established modern financing mech-
municipality confronts these problems in
south of the city, beyond the Colonia
San Pedro Car/a Garcia municipality, and
anisms for buying lots and building
a much more civilized manner than do
Contry, a new urban district known as 11
was separated from Monterrey by the
houses. Simultaneously, the Club
cities in the rest of Mexico.
l.oma l a r g a, a large hill, and the RiO
Campestrc, one of the most prestigious
Santa Catartna, which is dry almost all
social clubs in Mexico, was established
year long. H i e valley boasted certain nat-
to one side of del Valle in 1454.
ural .ulvantagi ••• fl.il terrain; fi rtile soil,
which was then intensively cultivated
The development of the Colonia del
Valle took approximately 2s years. By
I luapico is contemplated. This will contain several large developments covering
CUMBRES AND CONTRY
The majority of the upper-income inhabitants of metropolitan Monterrey are con-
between SO and 500 hectares, for a total
of 1,500 hectares 11,600 acres).
A group ot large landowners are
centrated around the Colonia del Valle,
jointly developing the area as a planned
with vegetables and fruits; splendid views
I960 other colonias. such as Fuentes del
but it is not the only upper-income subur-
Community. Despite the difficulties ol
of the Sierra M.ulre Oriental to the south
Valle, HI Rosario, Mira Sierra, San
ban area in the city. The Colonia Mitras
managing such a large development when
and the Cerro de las Mitras to the north-
Jeronimo, San Patricio, Veredalra, Valle
was established in I94.S, and the t olonia
potential competitors are involved, I I
west; and a climate slightly cooler than
de San Angel, and San Agustin, were
Cumhrcs was added in 19.57; the Colonia
Huajuco could become Monterrey's new
Monterrey's. Two summer resort colonias
added nearby. This process culminated in
( inn try arrived in IV58. These two sub-
residential suburb par excellence, improv-
already existed in the area.
the 1990s with the development of Valle
urbs began with 250 and 100 hectares
ing on previous models by preserving
Oriente, where today the most Important
respectively (600 and ~20 acres) and
wooded areas.
success transformed the Mexican system
office and corporate buildings in northern
grew in ways similar to the colonias
ol urban residential development, and
Mexico are gathered along with an
around them.
San Pedro is held up as a model munici-
important commercial and hotel district.
pality, the most advanced in Mexico. Its
As a unit, the suburbs around the
The Colonia del Valie's extraordinary
I lie t olomas C omry .-\m\ ( timbres
The other large-scale proii^t, Valle
Poniente (Valley West), is located to the
west ot the city. Valle Poniente covers a
certainly offer advantages to their upper-
developable area of "Oil hectares ( 1,6X0
successes rest on several foundations.
Colonia del Valle make up the better pan
income inhabitants, having been devel-
acres), and the land is controlled by only
first is the size ot the Colonia del Valle:
ol San I'edro Garza Garcia, which has the
oped on a scale sufficient to offer order
three competing property owners.
Its 400 hectares (approximately 960
highest living standard and highest per
and space tor recreation, sports and ser-
acres) permitted orderly development on
capita incomes in M c x n o , San I'edro
vices. Coutry and Cumbres are far superi-
ning stages, but they represent new ver-
a stale never before attempted in Mexico,
Car/a Garcia is known tor its innova-
or to the hundreds ot small neighbor-
sions of a distinctly Monterrey style of
making it the 1940s equivalent ot a
tions. It is the place where, in 1963, a
hoods ol less than ten hectares that devel-
development. And they reinforce
planned community. The developers con-
mayor from an opposition party first
oped by aggregation, linking themselves
Monterrey's reputation as a city planned
tributed land and money tor the construc-
rook office, and where, in 1966, the first
haphazardly to the historic center, but
in the image of a Norrh American subur-
tion ot two large private schools and an
woman mayor in northern Mexico took
Contr) and Cuhres lack the integrated
ban metropolis. •
imposing parish church, Tor years they
power. It was also the first city to have a
development, quality ot life, and func-
subsidized the owner of El Ccnrnto, del
master plan for drainage that brought
tional autonomy of San I'edro.
Valle's specially designed business district.
potable water, drainage, and electricity to
and for 2s years they financed and
100 percent of the city's houses.
administered all public services.
Considered a pioneer in citizen partic-
Tor various reasons, Cumbres and
Conrry never had the impact of del Valle.
Neither was conceived with the inte-
The developers incrementally trans-
ipation in decision making, San Pedro
grated vision of the Colonia del Valle,
ferred their administrative authority to
Gar/a Garcia also achieved consistent
and neither achieved del Valle's relative
the residents of the Colonia del Valle by
and high standards of urban development
autonomy or distinct lifestyle. Even
creating the equivalent of a Texas-style
and modem environmental control as
though each was developed at a distance
These projects are still in the plan-
Juan Ignacio Barragan Viltarreat is a
planner for the State of Nttet/O l.cuil. Ml
architect, historian and the founder <</
Urhis International.
'iranstatrJ (mm Spanish hy David 1'has.